Theatrical apparatus.



M. E. MOORE.

THEATRICAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25,1911.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

r M W Witnesses Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON. u. c.

MENLO E. MOORE, OF VINCENNES, INDIANA.

THEATRICAL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1911.

Application filed May 25, 1911. Serial No. 629,388.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MENLO E. MOORE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Vincennes, in the county of Knox and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Theatrical Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings,.forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has general reference to theatrical apparatus, and its object is the production of an efficient, serviceable, safe, and highly effective device for suspending an actor in mid-air over the audience in a theater.

It comprises the novel and peculiar combination of parts and details of construction as hereinafter first fully set forth and de scribed and then pointed out in the claims.

In the above-mentioned drawings, which serve to illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the mast detached, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the forward end of the beam and illustrating means for elevating and lowering the actor.

Like parts are designated by the same symbols and characters of reference in all the figures.

This apparatus is to be removably aflixed upon the floor of a theatrical stage, preferably in one of the wingsthereof so that the principal portion of the apparatus and the person or persons operating the same are hidden from the audience in the theater. To the floor A of this stage there is removably secured, preferably by the usual screweyes 12, employed in theaters for temporarily securing stage appliances in position, a step plate 13, wherein is rotatively placed a mast B, by a pivotal rod 14:, a ball bearing or similar anti-friction device 15, being pro vided at the lower end of the mast to reduce friction to a minimum. This mast has at its upper end a pintle 16, which extends beyond the upper end of said mast a sufficient distance to receive a bearing 17, said bearing having side-wise projecting loops 18, to

which guy ropes 19, are attached which lead to the floor A and are fastened to screw-eyes 20, to maintain the mast or post B in approximately vertical position.

cap, said cap having side-wise projecting lugs 22, wherein is pivoted at its lower end a jib or outrigger C. This jib is preferably a light but substantial structure, an I-bar belng very suitable when properly stiffened by brace-rods 23. The upper end of this jib is provided with a bearing 24, constructed to receive a preferably forked member 25, wherein is journaled a normally horizontal beam D, also made of light metallic construction suitably strengthened by brace The lower end of the mast B is preferably capped as at 21, the pivot 14: forming a part of this rods 26. Near the upper end of the jib O there is located a loop 27, to which a rope, 28, is attached at one of its ends. This rope 28 leads to the top of the mast B where a slotted element 29, preferably formed integral with the pivot 16 is provided, said slotted element having a rope-sheave 30 j ournaled in the said fork over which the rope 28' is carried and thence downwardly led and hitched to a hook 31, secured to the mast, so that in its normal position the jib stands at an angle of approximately 15 de grees to the plane of the floor A.

To the inner end of the beam D there is secured a downwardly pending rope 32, by which said beam may be manipulated. From the outer end of this beam there is suspended an object E, which may be a fair representation of an animal, bird, or fish, and may also be an imitation of a balloon,

aeroplane or air-ship, or any other desirable This ob- I counter weights 33, to approximately balance the beam with its load at the outer end; or it may be raised and lowered by a block-and-tackle or pulley device G, of usual construction, a rope 34, being employed which leads over a pulley 35 located near the pivotal point of the beam D so as not to disturb the equilibrium of the beam D when this rope 84 is pulled by an attendant manipulating the same. In this latter case, i. 0., when the actor is being raised and lowered by the block-and-tackle mechanism G, the rope 32 may be fastened to the stage floor by a screw-eye 36, so that one attendant may be able to control the two manipulating ropes 32 and 34;.

The beam D may be rotated in a horizontal plane by pulling side-wise at the rope 32, or by pushing directly at the jib C, it being understood that by the latter manipulation the actor may be moved farther from or nearer to the stage in an obvious manner.

The mast B is probably best made from wood but the remaining parts are preferably made in iron whereby a comparatively light but very strong construction is secured at a low weight so that the cost of transportation of the apparatus, which in theatrical paraphernalia is quite an item of expense, is reduced to a minimum.

When desired the object E and the seat of the actor F may be fitted with electric lights 37, the wiring of which may be carried along the jib and the forward end of the beam D, whereby a beautiful effect is produced. And in order to increase the realistic effect of an aeroplane floating in mid-air over the audience, a slowly rotating wheel H, fitted with an ample supply of colored lamps may be placed on the object E, as illustrated in Fig. 1, said Wheel H being rotated by a small electric motor placed on the aeroplane and connected to the shaft of said wheel by suitable means, said motor receiving its electric current from the lamp circuit, not shown.

I have heretofore described with considerable minuteness the preferred construction of this apparatus, but I desire it understood that many of these details may be changed by persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains without departing from the scope of the same, so that I do not wish to confine myself entirely to this specific construction of parts.

Having thus fully described this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A theatrical apparatus constructed for suspending an actor in mid air over the audience in a theater, comprising, in combination, a mast, said mast having a step or pivot at its lower end, a step-bearing, removably secured to the floor of a theater stage and constructed to receive said pivot, a tubular bearing at the upper end of said mast, said bearing having laterally projecting loops, a yoke at the upper end of said mast, said yoke having a pivot constructed to rotatably engage said tubular bearing, said pivot being secured to said mast, guy ropes secured at one end to said loops and at the other end to said floor to prevent said bearing from rotating, a jib pivoted at its lower end to the lower end of said mast said jib. having at its upper end a laterally eX- tending bearing, a fork, pivoted in said latter bearing, a beam pivoted medially to said fork, a rope at the outer end of said beam, a theatrical object suspended from said rope, a further rope at the other end of said beam, counter-weights upon the latter rope to approximately balance the theatrical object aforesaid, said latter rope being constructed for manipulation by an attendant without the intervention of any machinery, as specified.

2. A theatrical appliance constructed to suspend an actor in mid air over the audience of a theater, comprising, in combination, a mast, said mast having a socket at its lower end, said socket being provided with a downwardly extending pivot, a bearing for said pivot removably secured to the floor of a theater stage, a further fixed bearing at the upper end of said mast, a yoke having a pivot secured to said mast, said upper bearing being located upon said pivot, guy ropes attached at one end to said upper bearing and at the other end to said stage floor to prevent said upper hearing from rotating and support the mast in approximately vertical position, a ib pivoted at its lower end to the lower end of said mast socket, a rotatable bearing at the upper end of said jib, a beam pivoted medially to said rotatable bearing, a rope at the outer end of said beam, a theatrical object suspended from said beam, a seat suspended from said theatrical object constructed to support an actor, a rope at the inner end of said beam, counterweights on the latter rope to approximately balance the weight of the objects suspended from the opposite end of said beam, said rope being constructed for manipulation by an attendant to swing the beam in vertical and horizontal planes without the intervention of any hoisting machinery.

3. In an apparatus for suspending an actor in mid-air over the audience in a theater, a mast, said mast having journals at its upper and lower ends, a step bearing removably secured to the floor of a theater stage adapted to engage said lower mast journal, a fixed bearing constructed to receive the upper mast-journal, said latter bearing being held in fixed position by guy ropes, said lower mast-journal being formed with a cap adapted to receive the lower end of said mast, said cap having laterally projecting lugs, a ib pivoted at one end in said In testiinony that I claim the foregoing as lugs, a rope sheave at the upper end of said my invention, I have hereunto set my hand mast constructed to rotate With said mast, in the presence of two subscribing vvltnesses. 10

and a rope secured to the upper end of said MENLO E. MOORE. jib at one of its ends and passed over said Witnesses:

rope sheave and removably secured to said W. W.-WILLIS,

mast. JOSEPHINE DUESTOBOY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

